You give me some good blackened death metal and I’ll be happy. You give me some good blackened death metal about veganism, and I’ll be over the moon. Sentient Divide’s self-titled debut release (put to tape by the incomparable Sol Y Nieve), was an album that I already thought highly of after my initial listen, but after reading an interview the band did for arena.com, which includes explanations of how the band name and lyrical themes of the album come from their vegan ethos, I immediately brought this back into heavy rotation. Like vegan food, non-vegans can also find plenty to love here too; the blistering riffs and blackened atmosphere, cut with just the right amount of crust-punk stomp, will make any heavy music fan happy. For someone who is openly embracing veganism like I am, though, finding something this in line with my own beliefs that bangs this hard is incredibly heartening.

It has been a very long day, and tonight I decided that what I needed was a beer that physically K.O.’d me. Enter, like a heavyweight boxing champ with a personal vendetta against me, Cockeyed Cooper, a bourbon barrel-aged barley wine. Boasting a whopping 11.1% ABV, Uinta didn’t play around when they made this. Barleywines aren’t meant to be subtle anyway, and Cockeyed Cooper certainly brings big, matured flavors to the table. Bourbon caramel sweetness mingles with a surprising amount of hops, creating something rich and complex, syrup-y but with a bitter finish to balance it out. I may have shot myself in the foot by drinking this whole 22 oz. bottle by my lonesome, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

Well that’s enough out of me for one night. I hope you enjoyed this pairing, even if it was a little out of your comfort zone. Until next time,